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The plans include access to funding for new equipment, increased catches and more flexibility over quotas. Credit: David Davies/Press Association Images

Camborne MP and Fisheries Minister George Eustice will be unveiling plans today to help fishermen prepare for the discard ban.

In January, it will be against the law for them to throw back species like haddock, sole and plaice. The plans include access to funding for new equipment, increased catches and more flexibility over quotas.

The South West’s fishing industry is enjoying one of the best King Scallop seasons for many years Credit: Plymouth Fisheries

The South West’s fishing industry is enjoying one of the best King Scallop seasons for many years according to Plymouth Fisheries.

The fresh fish market has reported a record number of visiting scallopers in recent months, as boats journey to the region to fish for scallops.

The King Scallop is the main stay of the UK fishing industry, and the South West is having an especially strong season, one of the best for years.

Over the years, this has proved to be a well-managed fishery and stocks remain healthy, so with no quotas on King Scallops, skippers can generally land as many as they like.

The larger,more powerful vessels are restricted to the number of days each year that they can fish for scallops, and there are various seasonal closed areas on the in shore grounds around the coast which prevent overfishing by the smaller boats.

Dartmouth-based fishing charter firm, Outlaw got more than it bargained for last weekend when it took some regulars on a trip on the Mid-Channel Wrecks in search of winter pollock.

The seal would not let the fish escape without a fight Credit: Owen Mallia

Tim Smith from Dawlish hooked a fish but had to fight off a seal for his prize. The boat's owner describes what happened.

Tim had just retrieved the fish to mid-water when suddenly his rod dipped viciously right over the rail, he now appeared to have a real battle on his hands, slowly he gained on the fish until his pollock broke the surface some distance from the boat.

It was clear he had caught a pollock, but trailing right behind his catch was a beady pair of eyes and whiskers – a seal had decided to attack his fish on the way up and hung on to it right on to the bitter end.

Thankfully, only the fish was hooked and as he reeled in his pollock towards Outlaw, the seal stubbornly let go and disappeared back to the deep.

– Owen Mallia, Skipper, Outlaw

You can just see the muzzle of the hungry seal trying to stop the fishermen stealing his lunch Credit: Owen Mallia

The same thing happened to two more anglers - and so, when the seal surfaced again, the skipper handed him a pollock, which he took and disappeared for the rest of the day, leaving the fishermen to fish in peace.

Tim Smith from Dawlish - who battled a seal for his prize - will certainly dine out on this tale for years to come Credit: Owen Mallia